



/UJ 



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PROJECTS FOR THE 
HIGH SCHOOL 



Sample Materials for the Junior and Senior High 

School 



Edited by Charles H. Elliott 
and Charles S. Crow 



PUBLISHED BY 
5«tatc llttitJereitH of Hew ^cr«CB 

NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY 



These projects have been planned, developed and 
reported by those New Jersey teachers enrolled in 
the Extension Courses in the Project Method of 
Instruction. 



Copyright 1921 by Charles S. Crow and 
Charles H. Elliott. 



Copies of this bulletin are sold at 25 cents each. 
They may be ordered from the Director of Ex- 
tension Courses. Box 93, New Brunswick, New 
Jersey. 



m -71922 



«-TA 1> / 






Preface 

The projects included in this l^ulletin represent a selection of 
materials which illustrate what may be done in the junior and 
senior high school. The projects which follow constitute a selec- 
tion from a much larger number, but we have endeavored to 
include samples for each of grades seven to nine, inclusive. 
Space will permit us to present only one project for the senior 
high school. In our selection we have endeavored to include 
projects which enlist a variety of interests and which cover a 
number of subjects. 

These projects have been developed in the Extension 
Courses in the Project Method of Instruction. We feel that they 
will be of aid to New Jersey teachers in planning similar under- 
takings. 

We desire to express our thanks to the county superintend- 
ents, city superintendents, principals, and presidents of teachers' 
organizations who have co-operated in the organization of our 
Extension Courses, and who by their untiring efforts have con- 
tributed so much to making them a success. 

THE EDITORS. 



The Cacao Industry 

Jennie B. Post, Grade /A, West Hohoken, N. J. 

Situation 

In connection with our geography lesson, the pupils had 
been discussing the steady increase in trade between the United 
States and South American nations. This talk led to the state- 
ment that since the completion of the Panama Canal the sailing 
distance between New York and Guayaquil had been reduced 
thousands of miles and that better and swifter boats were being 
put into service. "Name an important product that these boats 
bring us from Ecuador," was then asked. Various things were 
mentioned, but Cacao and Chocolate were heard the oftenest. 
"What is the difference between the two?" was the next question. 
Quite a discussion followed, and I felt that this was a favorable 
situation for starting a study of Cacao industry. I felt sure the 
subject would appeal to the pupils, as all boys and girls are fond 
of candy and especially chocolate candy. 

Aims 

The teacher's aims were : To promote interest in industrial 
life; to study the Cacao industry; to teach good English, neat- 
ness, business forms, writing of letters, telegrams or cablegrams, 
and advertisements. 

Activities 

The work was launched in the formation of a Cacao Com- 
pany, composed of all the pupils in the class, said company to 
have a plantation in Ecuador and a factory and warehouses 
located in or near New York City. 

A Cacao Company was formed, with a capital of $40,000. 
divided into 400 shares of $100. There being 40 pupils in the 
class at the time it was decided that each pupil should own 10 
shares or $1,000 worth of stock. 

Officers for the Company were then nominated and elected 
by the pupils. The President and Treasurer were boys who 
were popular with the pupils. The Vice-President and the 
Secretary were girls and equally popular. It was suggested that 
a suitable name be given the Company, and the pupils were told 
to think about it and report at the next meeting. When the ap- 
pointed time came, many names were handed in, but "The Star 



Cacao Co." recei\ed the greatest number of votes. Trade marks 
were then exhibited, discussed, and one chosen. This was not 
a difficult task, as our name really suggested the one chosen. 

The next step was the locating of our factory and the secur- 
ing of our plantation in Ecuador. Maps were exhibited and 
several sites named. Pupils debated as to why these places were 
or were not suitable, and finally decided to locate the Company's, 
factory on High Street between Summit and Kerrigan Avenues- 
This is a vacant plot, a short distance from our school. 

Various suggestions were offered as to how they were to 
secure their foreign plantation. This is what they finally de- 
cided to do : Write to a foreign agent who had been recom- 
mended by our Consul General at Guayaquil, Ecuador, and ask 
him to act as their agent and select a suitable cacao plantation 
along the Guayas River; also, secure the services of a capable 
agent for the plantation. The letter was written and also his 
answer to the Company. Then, the Company's communication 
to Air. Crespo. the new manager, was written, asking him to cable 
them as to shipment of Cacao beans. This brought in the desired 
drill in letter writing and writing of telegrams. 

Next there was a discussion of employees needed. "Ads" 
from papers were exhibited and pupils assigned to write "ads" 
for help wanted. Then came a lesson on answering "ads." 
The new assignment was, "The answer to an advertisement." 
Pupils were told to make their answers brief, to write well and 
to spell all words correctly. The pupils then had a socialized 
lesson on "Our foreign plantation.'' This was followed by a 
discussion on "Cacao Industry" — Necessity, growth, etc. 

The Company then decided to advertise more widely, mak- 
ing an advertising pamphlet. The followin<^ outline for the 
jiamphlet was prepared and committees appointed. Each com- 
mittee was assigned a topic. 

Story of Discovery. 

Where grown. 

Climate — soil. 

How obtained. 

Preparation for use. 

Alanufacture of Cacao. 

Uses of Cacao. 
P)Ooklets were written and illustrated, the design on the 
cover being the trade mark of the Compau)-. 

Comment 

This project has been of great help in the English work. 
They have learned to write well and t(^ be careful in the choice 
of language. 

5 



References 

Educational Exhibits and Reading Material have been re- 
ceived from the following companies : 

Walter Baker. 

Hershey. 

Runkel. 

Walter Lowney Co. 

Peter Callier Kohler Co. 
Lantern slides were borrowed from Department of Con- 
servation and Development, Trenton, N. J. 

The Star Cacao Company's Store 

Jennie B. Post, Anna Nolan, Secretary, School No. 4, West 
Hohoken, N. J. 

Situation 

This project was suggested by and is the outgrowth of the 
previous one. The Star Cacao Company had been in existence 
about a month when the idea of opening a school store and hav- 
ing the members of the Company take charge of it was sug- 
gested to me. I considered it carefully and then decided that 
here was an opportunity for teaching profit and loss, discount 
and commission in a practical way by the project method and in 
accordance with out new course in arithmetic adopted last 
autumn. 

Purposing 

To teach gain and loss, per cent, discount, commission by 
practical problems. Pupils would learn from actual experience 
how to keep "Cash Accounts,'' account of bank deposits and 
withdrawals. It would enable pupils to see that whatever was 
gained or lost by a transaction would affect each one as a mem- 
ber of the firm. Proceeds or gain from sales would enrich our 
school treasury and enable the school to purchase new lantern 
slides. 

Plan 

The subject was discussed with the pupils and great enthusi- 
asm was shown. It was suggested that we buy "Dairy Maid 
Chocolate Products" from Brewster Sons and Company and sell 
them to the pupils after school, twice a week. 

The one great obstacle in our way was the securing of the 
money to accompany our first order. Various suggestions were 
given by pupils. One suggested that we send our order, sell the 
goods within 30' days and then pay for them. He was shown 



that we would lose our cash discount. Several suggested having 
each pupil advance one dollar to make the required amount. 
This was not thought to be advisable. 

The principal of our school then came to our assistance and 
advanced $71.84, which was the amount in the school treasury 
at that time. This money was the proceeds from a cake and 
candy sale held in our school, last term, for the purpose of buying 
lantern slides. 

Activities 

On April 8th the amount of $71.84 was deposited in the 
Highland Trust Company's Bank and on the afternoon of the 
same day an order for chocolate candy of various kinds and 
cocoa amounting to $31.61 was filled out and with a check for 
the amount was mailed to Brewster Sons Company at Newark. 

It was decided that our store should be open on Monday 
and Thursday afternoons at 3.00 P. M., and room 5 was the place 
selected for the sale. Pupils were to enter from the hall and 
leave by the fire-escape doors, thus avoiding noise and disorder 
in the corridors. The pupils then set to work to prepare "post- 
ers" which would announce the opening of the new store. One 
for each room was completed and each was hung in a conspicu- 
ous* place. The pupils were divided into five committees, two 
consisting of girls and three of boys. The girls were to sell the 
products and the boys to act as monitors ajid assist in every way 
possible. 

On the days of sale three girls and three boys were per- 
mitted to go down a few minutes before the bell rang and, under 
the supervision of Miss Nolan. Secretary of our school, arrange 
the boxes on the tables and place the prices on the candies. The 
treasurer was to take charge of the money after it had been 
counted and the following day deposit the same in the bank. 

Our supplies arrived .Vpril 12th and our store opened the 
following Thursday. Our proceeds from the first sale amounted 
to $24.61. 

Our arithmetic lesson the next morning consisted of prob- 
lems taken from our sales of the day before. For example : — 

We paid $0.90 for a box of chocolates containing 24 bars, 
and yesterday we sold them at $0.06. What was our gain in 
percentage? Or, we reduce our $0.15 candie.s to $0.12. What is 
the percentage of reduction? 

Each pupil opened a cash account wherein all cash receipts 
and cash payments were recorded. 

Three orders have been sent to the manufacturers, and each 
time pupils have found the amount of the bill, the war tax and 
the cash discount allowed. 



Comment 

Needless to say, the project undertaken has had the desired 
result in the class-room. The pupils have looked upon their tasks, 
not as work, but as something which they were eager to do and 
to get results in. They have entered into them with a zeal and 
earnestness which might have been lacking if they had not all 
had the same aim or purpose. 

Clay Industries of New Jersey 

Helen Pluiiimer, Seventh Grade, Lincoln School, Trenton, N. J. 

Introduction 

The mental ability of my class is very much below normal. 
The difference between the physical and mental age is as much 
as four years in a few cases, and in nearly every case it is almost 
impossible to arouse interest and to hold it. 

We read over the list of industries of New Jersey in class. 
The children then tried to find all the advertisements of these 
industries that they possibly could, and brought them to school. 

A few boys who do neat hand work printed the names of 
the manufacturing centers on strips of cardboard, and others 
posted the advertisements at the back of the room. 

Every member of the class brought in advertisements, and 
also tried to find some information about the industry advertised. 
They were very much interested, and were eager to give some- 
thing toward our work. 

We found that there were many industries, and that it would 
be interesting to find the reason for their location, where the raw 
materials come from, where the finished products find a market, 
and many similar questions. 

We took up all of these industries very briefly. By this time 
the children were really enjoying themselves, and decided that 
they would like to take up one industry thoroughly. "The Clay 
Industries of New Jersey" was the subject chosen as their 
project. 

Activities 

First, we made up a list of articles made of clay. This list 
was lengthened after we studied, for the children found that they 
knew very little about clay products. ' 

We developed the following brief outline on clay: 

a. What it is. 

b. Where it comes from. 

c. How it is obtained. 



d. How it is made into its various finished products. 

e. Chief centers of industry in New Jersey. 

f. Markets for finished products. 

Then the class had a definite aim in view. They wanted to 
find out definite things about clay. They looked in their text 
books, reference books and encyclopedias, and began to realize 
that they could not find just what they wanted. 

\\'e talked over our needs together, and I suggested that 
perhaps they might write letters to the firms whose advertise- 
ments we had posted. There were not nearly enough different 
firms to go around the class, but this difficulty was solved by 
using the Industrial Directory of the State, which the Librarian 
of the Trenton Free Public Library had sent one of the girls who 
had written to her, at my suggestion, for material. 

We had studied letter-writing, and now the children seemed 
anxious to put their knowledge into real use. They passed the 
Directory around the room and each chose a firm. 

They tried to apply the points I had attempted to impress 
upon them in writing a courteous business letter, with results 
which would have pleased the most exacting. No two letters 
were alike. With very few exceptions, the children received 
answers to their letters. 

The class was given not only a wealth of information al^out 
their project, but was also impressed with the business courtesy 
and the great interest these men must have in the schools to induce 
them to use their valuable time in dictating such long letters of 
information to young boys and girls, from whom no financial 
returns could be expected. 

Polite letters of thanks were sent to these men, as well as to 
the State Librarian, who sent two very good references. 

W^hen we had material with which to work, the children 
decided to organize themselves into three companies. One com- 
pany dealt in raw materials, one in porcelains and one in bricks. 
The clay company told of the different kinds of clay, their uses, 
and the countries from which they were obtained, as well as the 
commercial routes used in their transportation. The porcelain 
and brick companies followed the^.r product from the raw ma- 
terials to the finished products and sent it out on the market. 

The class as a whole studied the different trade routes be- 
tween China, France, Germany, England and the United States. 
Under this heading came a discussion of the relative cost of rail 
and water transportation, and the various elements which figure 
in the cost of a manufactured article. 

Many sub-topics, which might have been taken up with a 
bright and normal class, were only briefly touched uix)n. For 



instance, the nationality of the men who originated the industry 
in this country? The need of a protective tariff and the effect 
of it upon this industry, etc. 

The pupils summed up the information which they had 
gained in a composition called, "The Story of My Life," and 
sub-divided it into these topics : 

1. Where I first lived. 

2. My Journey to Trenton, N. J. 

3. My experiences in the Factory. 

4. My present home. 

They made these papers attractive by making a suitable 
cover and illustrating their stories appropriately. 

Course of Study 

Terms peculiar to the industry were looked up in the dic- 
tionary and used as a spelling lesson. 

The different machines were drawn upon the blackboard 
and their use explained. 

The girls, in drawing, made small clay trays which they 
decorated. 

Each niember of the class made any clay product he or she 
wished, from plasteline. 

Results 

The pupils, in the first place, were interested. They wanted 
to write letters. They wanted to find all the information they 
could about clay. They talked about China and were eager to 
find why the Chinese had not kept their place in the pottery 
industry. They chose the Panama Canal Route in preference 
to the Mediterrean Sea in coming from China to New York 
Bay, and were really desirous to find a shorter way to reach 
Trenton than by going all around the coast and up the Delaware. 
Thus many topics which the State Monograph required to be 
covered by a seventh grade class were covered. 

My English papers were the best that I had ever received, 
which, I think, shows that the children profited by their work. 

Rewriting "The Christmas Carol" for the 
Fourth Grade 

Ethel W. Gibh, Seventh Grade, Bernardsville, N. J. 

Introduction 

The project undertaken was the rewriting of Dickens' 
"Christmas Carol," by the Seventh Grade pupils, in a form that 



could be given to Fourth Grade pupils to read. The work took 
about fourteen classroom recitations of thirty minutes each. 
Most of the actual writing was done by the pupils at home. In 
school, the work was lead, the criticisms and suggestions given 
in socialized recitations, and the work revised at home. 

Aims 

My aims in having the pupils do this work were varied. The 
main purpose was to test their knowledge and appreciation of 
the story without a formal examination, and to insure a more 
lasting knowledge of the story through a second, more careful 
reading of it. Secondary aims were to test the pupils' ability to 
pick out and tell about the important events of the story, to 
discover whether the_\ knew the meaning of the many difficult 
words used, to aid in applying their knowledge of formal gram- 
mar, to emphasize good English and a good choice of words, and 
to aid their oral reading expression. 

The pupils' aim was to instill the spirit of Christmas love, 
giving and kindness in the younger pupils through a story which 
they could understand and enjoy. As one pupil said, "Christmas 
isn't only for getting presents ; it's for giving them and making 
other people happy. It would be good to teach the fourth grade 
pupils that without 'preaching' to them, and we could do it 
with the story, just like Dickens did for us." 

Teachers' Preparation 

In preparing for this project. I had to begin my work when 
the story was first taken up in class. The Seventh Grade con- 
sisted of forty-five pupils, both boys and girls, most of whom 
were interested in reading. A few boys, however, were repeating 
the grade and I wanted to interest them, if possible. The read- 
ing of the "Christmas Carol" was begun soon after Hallowe'en, 
while the memory of gliost stories was still fresh in the minds 
of the pupils. This was also necessary to allow time for the 
reading of the story, the rewriting of it, the mimeographing of 
it by a High School class, the making of covers, and fastening 
it in book form for the fourth grade to read at Christmas. 

Purposing 

In introducing the story, T tried to bring out the delightfully 
delicate humor, characterization and pathos of the story rather 
than stressing new words and story structure. As a result, when 
the story was read and discussed the class voted that it was "a 
good story." One boy volunteered that it wasn't only funny, 
iDut it taught something. Then followed a discussion of the 

II 



Christmas spirit, the change in Scrooge, the moral, and why the 
story has lasted so many years. One girl exclaimed, "I should 
think everyone ought to read this story before Christmas." 

There was the opportunity I had been waiting for, and I 
asked, "What about young children reading it? Would it do 
them any good?" 

"Not as it is," answered one girl. "They wouldn't know all 
the hard words, because we didn't even know them ourselves." 

"Then I'm afraid that they'll have to miss it, won't they?" 
I said. 

"Couldn't we tell it to them?" suggested Dominic. 

This suggestion was vetoed by Cynthia, the practical girl, 
Avho said, "It's too long, and we might get mixed up and use 
bad English. Besides little children wouldn't pay attention for 
so long a time perha])s." 

Then Alfred spoke up, "Why couldn't we write it for them 
and make it easy?" 

For a moment there was silence in the room, then I said, 
in a doubtful tone, "That would be splendid, Alfred, but could 
this grade do it? It is very long, you know, and would mean 
^ lot of hard work for everyone." 

The class, to a pupil, resented the seeming slur on their ability. 
Such a babel as resulted. Remarks such as. "Sure, we can do 
it.'' "Don't you think we could do it. Miss Gibb?"' "It would 
T>e easy," and other similar expressions were heard. 

Finally, I asked, "But why are you so anxious to rewrite 
the Christmas Carol?" 

Carl responded quickly, "Why, they need it ; we all need it. 
It's worth while doing and will be fun." 

"I think you are right about it being a good thing," I an- 
swered. "But how are you going to start?" 

PivANNINC 

After hearing several plans discussed, the class decided to 
adopt the one offered by Allen, which was that the class should 
be divided into six committees. Five of the committees were 
to rewrite the story, each committee taking one stave. The 
sixth committee was to give aid to individuals who needed it 
and do any extra work which was necessary. Each committee 
was to have a chairman and divide up the work of the stave. 

"How are you going to choose the committees?" I asked. 

"Let each one tell which stave he'd rather write about," 
replied Allen. 

"Suppose you have too many for one stave and not enough 
for another; what will you do?" I questioned. 

12 



"Why, we'll have to choose another, then. Anyhow, they're 
all good," replied Allen, cheerfully. 

The class agreed that that plan sounded fair, so Allen went 
to the board and wrote Stave I, Stave II, etc. He then turned 
to the class and said, "Those who want to rewrite Stave I please 
stand." As they did so, he wrote their names under the heading 
Stave I, and proceeded thus until he had the five committees 
for rewriting the "Christmas Carol." Then the ones who desired 
to be in the "Helping Committee" stood, and their names were 
taken. Several pupils had to make a second choice of the stave 
that they would rewrite, so that the committees would be more 
evenly balanced, but in every case the change was voluntary and 
was made cheerfully. 

When this was done, Charlotte asked, "May the committees 
sit together and choose a chairman, so we can begin work?" 

Permission was given and five minutes were allowed for 
the reseating of the groups, and the choosing of a chairman for 
each. 

This was entirely the work of the pupils. During the choos- 
ing of the committees and the chairman I remained at the back 
of the room, only offering advice or giving assistance when re- 
quested to by the pupils. The room was not quiet, but it was the 
noise of interest and work, and not disorder. 

At the end of five minutes I called the class to attention and 
asked, "How are you going to find out what to write?" 

One pupil said, "Won't the chairman tell us that? I think 
that is the way." 

It was finally decided, though, that each chairman should 
make a list of the important topics in his stave and, after having 
it revised by his committee, let each one choose the part that he 
would write. On the following day when this was done second 
choices were again made cheerfully. 

"Isn't there anything for the rest of the class to do to- 
night?" I then asked. 

"Sure," responded Alfred slangily, "we'll have to read our 
stave over, so we know it better and look up hard words. We've 
got lots to do." 

"How will you know what words the fourth grade pupils 
can read and understand?" I asked. 

The Helping Committee at once volunteered to find out by 
asking various fourth grade pupils and by examining several 
fourth grade readers that had been read by the fourth grade this 
year. Their report was to be ready for the following day. 

All of the foregoing took only thirty minutes, which was a 
re\elation to me when I thought it over. 

13 



1 



Activities 

When the pupils came to class the next day the various com- 
mittees sat together. The "Helping Committee" reported on the 
words used by the fourth grade, putting a list on the board to 
show the degree of difficulty of the words. From now on the 
pupils did the work almost entirely by themselves. This second 
period was spent in choosing their part to rewrite, looking it over 
and outlining briefly what they wanted to tell about it. The 
"helpers" were busy now and when they could not answer a ques- 
tion they came to me. However, they looked up most of the 
questions on construction and punctuation for themselves. 

The pupils were allowed to talk together, but the need of 
doing it quietly for the sake of the other pupils was emphasized. 

The following lessons consisted of socialized recitations. A 
pupil who had his part rewritten would read it orally and call for 
suggestions by the class. One topic of discussion was whether 
or not the actual words of the book might be used. The class 
decided that if a ]>ortion was easy enough for the fourth grade to 
understand it would be well to copy exactly some of the best con- 
versation and descriptions. 

This is the introduction which finally passed censorship: 

"My dear children, we have the pleasure of re-writing the 
Christmas Carol for you. You all like Mr. Santa ; but here is 
the story of a man who did not. 

"What is a Christmas Carol? It is a song of rejoicing at 
the birth of Christ. It was the custom of Charles Dickens to 
write a Christmas story every year for his youthful readers to 
read and enjoy." 

The following are samples of the work handed in by the 
pupils : 

"Scrooge, you know, was very hot-tempered and not very 
pleasant to look at. He was not like some of your fathers, but 
hated other people and would not have anything to do with 
them." 

"I am sure that you have all read stories of misers who keep 
their money and will never spend a cent. That is the kind of 
man Scrooge was. He loved money and he would save every 
cent that he could get. He often went hungry because he wanted 
to save the money." 

"On and on they went, over the ocean, and flew and flew 
until they saw a lighthouse. A lighthouse, you know, is where 
the men live who show the ships where rocks are and warn them 
of danger by having an enormous light which burns all night up 
in the top of the lighthouse and shines out over the water." 

Since Grade Seven had departmental work and I did not 
teacli English.it was rather hard to correlate the daily reading 

14 



and English work, though, in a degree, this was done. We were 
also greatly indebted to the typewriting department for mimeo- 
graphing the work. 

Most of the material was taken directly from the edition of 
the ''Christmas Carol'' which the pupils were using. I had for- 
merly purchased blue-print pictures from the Thompson Pub- 
lishing Co., in Syracuse, N. Y., to illustrate the story, and the 
pupils thought that the fourth grade children would be more 
interested in the story if they could see the pictures. Therefore 
they made up their separate orders, combined them, wrote a 
letter enclosing a money-order and received their pictures. Some 
pupils ordered the whole set, costing forty cents ; others ordered 
only enough to illustrate the stave which they were re-writing. 

When the story was re-written to their satisfaction it was 
sent to the High School to be mimeographed. I then gave the 
paper for covers to the pupils and they made their own designs 
at home. Some used free-hand designs ; others used pictures 
relating to Christmas. When the work was finished the books 
were tied together with red and green cord. Each pupil had a 
book of his own and they were loaned to the fourth grade to read. 
The seventh grade pupils were anxious to get them back, how- 
ever, and they are regarded as valued possessions. 

Results 

In considering the value of the work I would mention some 
of the things w^hich the project accomplished. It aided the chil- 
dren in giving good criticism, both constructive and destructive, 
and to accept it in the right manner. Some parts were changed 
three times before being satisfactory. The pupils learned to 
co-operate with each other, too. They discovered that one must 
make the beginning of his part of the stave follow- in thought 
the ending of the preceding part. 

For example, one pupil wrote — 

"By that time it was too dark to work any longer, so 
Scrooge prepared to go home." 

Then another pupil continued — 

"As he passed his clerk, he growled. *1 suppose you'll want 
a holiday to-morrow'." 

The pupils learned to select and judge the parts best suited to 
their needs. For example, thev dwelt briefly on the death scenes 
and omitted many of the long descriptions ; but told in detail the 
storv of the Cratchits' Christmas dinner and Tiny Tim. 

Through the class criticism, the standards of good work 
were raised, for I found that the pupils demanded more of each 
other than I had often demanded of them. .And therein hy 
much of the value of the project. The pupils did more when 

15 



working together for a common goal than when simply preparing 
a given assignment. 

The habit of neatness was also fostered, for no untidy or 
scribbled paper could be sent over to a High School class to 
reflect on the seventh grade. Through this a class and school 
pride was emphasized. 

Self-confidence was established, too. Two boys, in par- 
ticular, were certain that they could not do the work. They are 
naturally slow in thinking and do not take a very active part in 
the class discussions. Through the friendly help and sugges- 
tions of the rest of the class they were encouraged to try and did 
really credible work. They were very proud when the class 
praised their finished work and have taken more part in the class 
work since. One even volunteered to teach the Spelling class a 
few days ago. 

Besides these chances for pupil development, there were op- 
portunities to emphasize subjects in the course of study. More 
chances could have been found if I had been teaching all the sub- 
jects in grade seven. As it was I was able to emphasize oral and 
silent reading, correct spelling, neat and rapid writing, the use of 
common synonyms, of punctuation and quotation marks, correct 
English, the use of a ruler, printing, and design and drill in using 
a dictionary. 

The outstanding feature, however, was the amount and 
quality of independent work done. 

The Parker Family 

K. C. Kelty, Seventh Grade, Carroll Robbins School, 
Trenton, N. J. 

Situation 

The work for the year was one big project. We. called it 
"The Parker Family." Many small projects were treated under 
this big topic, each one so interesting and instructive that the 
work, from the beginning of the year to the end, was a pleasure. 
Not once during the year did I hear that old expression, "We 
had that in the sixth grade." The facts learned in the previous 
grades by the children were used as tools, just as they would use 
a hammer, saw or plane in the manual training shop, and there- 
fore the work didn't seem to be a repetition. 

Our work began with a study of thrift. The collector from 
the bank comes every two weeks, and I wanted to show the 
children that it is possible to save a part of their income or allow- 
ance. 

i6 



Many of the boys work, so we discussed some of the things 
they could do without, in order to save money. This led us to 
talk about the income of boys who are working and do not attend 
school — what they do with their salary — and then to a discussion 
of spending the money brought in by the father and any others 
who contribute to the family income. 

Budget-Making 

Plans for spending money were suggested and criticised by 
the class, but, as nothing seemed to be entirely satisfactory to 
them, I suggested that they look through their arithmetic books, 
the supplementary books on my desk, the magazines in the office 
or those on my desk and any they had at home for sample 
budgets. 

I had previously put on my desk the "Government Thrift 
Pamphlets," the Ferrin Money Accounting Book, Hoyt and Peet 
Arithmetic Book and Junior Mathematics Book, together with 
five or six others, for reference. 

On the following day the different plans were explained to 
the class by the children who had found them. I introduced the 
Parker Family to the children at this point by telling them that 
Mr. and Mrs. John Parker had decided on a plan for spending 
their income of $i,8oo per year, and I would now present this 
plan to them. 

Mimeographed copies of the income table were distributed 
and comparisons were made betw-een the tables already discussed 
and this plan. 

It was decided that their budget contained all that the others 
did, and was much easier to work with, since it divided the 
income into five parts — food, rent, clothing, operating expenses, 
and culture and recreation. 

Problems using the three cases in percentage were formed 
by the class after reading those suggested on the mimeographed 
sheets. 

In our discussion of the amount of money to be allowed for 
food, rent and clothing, we found that the treatment of this 
subject had to be different in the dififerent classes. Six classes 
were working on this project, and two of them were made up 
mostly of Italians from a poor section of the city. 

The keeping of a household account for a month was sug- 
gested, so we worked on it. The children found the price of the 
different articles purchased, from their parents, or advertisements 
in the newspapers. 

Thanksgiving Dinner 

As it was near Thanksgiving, each member of the different 
classes planned a dinner for the Parker family — Mr. and Mrs., 

17 



Mary, George and Fred — and only five dollars could be spent 
for it. 

The menu was first placed on the board, and then the articles 
purchased, with the amount and cost, were arranged in a bill 
form. 

We spent several lessons criticising the work, and this was 
done by the class, but when they had been rewritten and cor- 
rected we had all learned many things. 

One boy was laughed at by some of the other boys because 
he wrote down a roast of pork, but after he gave them his reasons 
and showed them that some provision had been made for the next 
meal they realized that he was right, and when the menus were 
rewritten several had roast pork. 

This boy's father had a very good position, but they saved 
nothing. About four years ago he died, and the boy has had to 
work before and after school. The boys have a lot of respect 
for him and his opinion. He showed them the value of looking 
ahead. The need for careful planning of meals was brought out, 
and also the advantage of using home-cooked food. The kinds 
o-f foods to serve together and their food value was discussed 
briefly. 

Building a House 

Mr. Parker, having received a notice to move, decided to 
build a house, as it was impossible to rent. Here we had a dis- 
cussion of property, what we mean by it, and the advantages of 
owning your own home. 

He looked around for a good location. What would he 
consider? Here we discussed elevation, neighbors, transporta- 
tion, schools, churches, stores, movies, factories, railroads, odors, 
smoke, saloons, etc. 

On which side of the street would he buy a lot? Why? 

Mr. Parker purchased a lot facing south. 

A plan of the street was drawn according to scale, also a 
plan of Mr. Parker's lot, showing how his house was located 
upon it. The lot was 50 feet by 150 feet, and the building restric- 
tions required that the house be built 20 feet from the street. 
Why? Mr. Parker wanted a driveway on one side and 10 feet 
on the other side. The house was 30 feet by 32 feet. 

The plan of Mr. Parker's house was given to the children 
and they examined it to see if it was according to the specifica- 
tions. 

The cost of excavating the cellar was found next. The rate 
charged was $0.90 per load. 

The children did some measuring in their cellars. Orig- 
inal problems were written by the children, and we used the 



Wentworth Smith Book III for a general review of work in 
volume. 

We examined the plans for the cellar, and noticed the height, 
width, length, the location of the furnace, coal bin, windows, etc. 

The size of the bin was then considered. How much coal 
would the Parkers need ? What kinds are commonly used ? How 
is it sold? What is the price per ton? How large a bin would 
Mr. Parker need for 8 tons of coal, allowing 35 cubic feet to the 
ton? VVe used different dimensions and also different amounts 
of coal. In some problems only two dimensions were suggested ; 
the third was called "X," and problems solved to determine it. 

In connection with this work the children measured their 
coal bins at home and found the number of tons they would hold. 

We found the number of bushels of potatoes Mr. Parker 
planned to put into his potato bin (5 cubic feet allowed for 4 
bushels). 

Not many of the children had bins at home, as most of them 
used barrels, but many original problems were made up by the 
class. 

Plans for houses and bungalows were brought in i)v the 
different classes and the best put on the mounting board. Almost 
every child had a plan, which he had cut from a magazine or 
paper, pasted in his arithmetic note book. 

One boy brought in the plan of his home and also that of 
the streets in his neighborhood. It has recently been built up and 
paved and the class were very much interested in it. To prove 
to the class that the plans were correct, the boys stopped on their 
way from school and measured the street, and two who lived on 
Cook Avenue located their houses on the drawing and then 
measured their lots to satisfy their curiosity. The work with 
this drawing was very enlightening and instructive. 

While we were doing this work the drawing teachers had 
the classes make a plan of some room in their own home. These 
were put into their arithmetic notebooks, and I feel that the 
children got more out of the work because they saw the relation- 
ship between their mathematics and drawing. 

Furnishing the House 

We found the number of yards of linoleum required for 
Mrs. Parker's kitchen, and from other measurements obtained 
by the class many problems were worked out. 

The kind of covering for the other floors was discussed. 
Rugs were favored by the children and some excellent reasons 
given for their use. The size and kind were also taken into 

19 



consideration. The prices of rugs were obtained from newspaper 
advertisements and from magazines. 

Some excellent problems in discount were worked out as 
many of the rugs were marked io%, 20%, 25% and 50% off. 

We also found the cost of different articles of furniture 
when one and two discounts were allowed. 

Financing the undertaking 

Having planned the house, we considered some of Mr. 
Parker's expenses in building and running it. 

The first question was, "Where did he get the money to buy 
the house?" We weren't told, so we were free to guess. We 
knew he could not save a great deal out of $1,800 per year. 

Some one suggested'that he paid $1,000 down and borrowed 
the rest. But from whom would he borrow it? How? The 
children knew a great deal about mortgages, borrowing from the 
bank, and interest, because they heard a great deal about these 
topics at home. The question of buying and selling property 
was one of the leading ones last year. 

One boy brought into class some forms of mortgages and 
deeds which he had obtained from his father who is a Notary 
Public and Real Estate man. 

Some of the other expenses considered were property and 
life insurance, property taxes and poll taxes. 

I found the children better able to attack a problem after 
having had this work. The eighth grade teacher reports that the 
children from this class are doing better problem work than has 
been dene heretofoie. 

Comment 

The children had a different light thrown on their work in 
arithmetic and every lesson was interesting from the beginning 
to the end. The lessons were socialized recitations and there 
were opportunities for problem solving. There was a dominat- 
ing purpose which guided the thinking of the children and I 
have endeavored to include as many elements of good teaching 
as possible. 

The following are the parts of the course of study covered : 

1. Reading — silent and aloud. 

2. Spelling — a list of new words was kept. 

3. Language — oral and written. 

4. Drawing — measurement, scale drav/ing, interpreting a 
working drawing. 



5- Arithmetic 

Percentage — 3 cases. 

f P P 

Use of formula \ — ^ B R = — 
[R B 

Bill Forms. 

Area — square and rectangle. 

Volume — cube. (Cellar, coal and vegetable bins.) 
Discount — ont and two. 
Interest. 

Promissory Notes. 
Mortgages. 
Taxes. 
Insurance. 
Algebra (using one unknown). 

New Jersey History 

Margaret C. Fogarty, Seventh Grade, Freehold, N. J. 

Setting 

In teaching the history of New Jersey, the children showed 
great interest in the Battle of Monmouth, as they live in the 
vicinity of that battleground. 

Many children brought pictures, post cards, books, and 
Monmouth war relics. Others suggested trips to "Old Tennent 
Church." "Molly Pitcher's \\>11." the Episcopal Church, which 
was used as a hospital during the battle. So much material was 
collected that the question arose, "What can we do with these 
things?" and some one suggested we begin by making wall 
posters to decorate the history classroom. 

Activities 

As only a few pupils could work on one poster, and there 
was an abundance of material, other children suggested making 
several New Jersey posters suggested by their history and civics 
work. The following posters were made : 

Colonial life in New Jersey. 

Roads of New Jersey to-day and yesterday. 

New Jersey in the Revolution. 

Modern New Jersey. 

New Jersey in the World's War. 

Education in New Jersey. 

Beauty spots in New Jersey, etc. 



Many of the pupils visited residents of Freehold who had 
much historical knowledge; the Carnegie Library was used by 
all for reference work; and other supplementary reading was 
supplied by the teacher, as 

Stockton's Stories of New Jersey. 

Stories of Old Monmouth. 

The Young Continentals. 

Local History, published by J. Yard, of Freehold, N. J. 

The class was divided into groups or committees with a 
leader who showed initiative. Each committee was given entire 
charge of a certain part of the work. The different members 
of the committee had to submit all collected material and ideas 
to the chairman of his committee, who after careful study, passed 
it to the teacher for final approval. Incorrect, inaccurate, unsuit- 
able, or inadequate materials or statements were rejected by 
leaders until they measured up to standards. The children 
learned to be helpfully critical of their own and of each other's 
work. Some committees had charge of selecting and choosing 
materials, others of arranging materials, some of pasting, some 
of correct color schemes, others of printing, and others of 
minor details. 

Gradually the idea of co-operation spread to the department 
of arithmetic, geography and English and the work was corre- 
lated along those lines. In geography, product and industrial 
maps were made ; in arithmetic, industrial problems were thought 
out and solved; in English, many compositions were written 
from the charts and pictures, much reproduction, oral and written 
from the stories and books read; many descriptions of the his- 
toric trips taken and imaginary letters to historic characters were 
written. 

Comment 

The project accomplished much more than was expected in 
many ways. The posters not only served as a decoration for 
the class room, but they have been lent to lower classes, who^ have 
used them in their work. This naturally gave the children an 
extra pride in their work. 

The history of New Jersey seems much more real to the 
children and undoubtedly they have gained more interest and 
more concrete knowledge through this project. 

The children thoroughly enjoyed the socialized lessons, as 
they made them more confident, independent and trustworthy. 
On their history trips they gathered much New Jersey historical 
knowledge as well as much help in their nature work and geog- 
raphy. 



The value of the project to mdividiials has been beneficial, 
as every child has felt a certain responsibility. One boy, a former 
sensitive, uninterested pupil, was willing and anxious to take a 
main part in a "Molly Pitcher'' float at the May Day Fete and 
showed his historical knowledge to be of use. 

A knowledge of the past of New Jersey cannot hel]) but make 
the children more interested in its future. 

A New Cement Walk for Our School 

Fannie IV. Pullen, Seventh Grade ^ Trenton, N. J. 

The teacher's aims were to interest the pupils in community 
life and to arouse a feeling of individual responsibility for the 
common good. (This is not a difficult task with pupils of this 
age, because the individual instinct which is strong in younger 
children is giving place to the social instinct.) 

The pupils' aims were, first, to keep the classroom free from 
mud and dust ; second, to improve the appearance of our school 
grounds. 

Teacher's Preparation 

The teacher made a plan for the problem of securing walks 
and decided how it could be correlated with civics, business 
forms, arithmetic, language, hygiene, etc. She listed the 
questions which she would ask to arouse the pupils' interest and 
those which she would expect the pupils to answer by the time 
the problem was completed. She was especially concerned with 
questions which would lead the pupils to find problems for them- 
selves. Text books, reference books and magazines were placed 
on the magazine rack in the room. The pupils greatly added to 
this collection. 

Purposing 

"I wish, children, you would write a list of the improve- 
ments which you have made this year. Select the one which 
\ou think has given us the most pleasure and write a paragrapii 
about it. When you finish we shall select the l^est. I want to let 
the Superintendent know what we have been doing when I send 
in my report Friday.'' 

The paragraphs were read and discussed. The pupils se- 
lected the best and corrected it as a class exercise. It was copied 
by the best penman in the class for me. 

Teacher : "Is there anv other improvement that you eighth 
grade people would like to make for your school?'' 

23 



Many suggestions were made, some of which were carried 
out, but not the one the teacher wanted. She said, "These sug- 
gestions are all good. You think them over and we will decide 
soon which is best." 

The next day the weather man favored the teacher. It 
rained hard. The ground was muddy and the children carried 
great quantities into the class room. 

Teacher: "John, will you please get the brush and pan and 
clean up the dirt in front of the piano. It looks sO' untidy." 

John did so; then he said, "May I brush the floor under my 
desk. I couldn't help bringing the mud in." 

Teacher: "Is the school ground in such a bad condition?" 

Chorus of answers: "It's awful." "Why don't we have 
a pavement around the side of the school." 

Teacher : "I don't know. Perhaps it costs too much." 

Pupil: "We need one anyway. Let's see if we can't find 
out about it." 

Teacher: "That's a good idea. If you wish you may talk 
about it this morning and make your plans." 

Pupil: "Oh! Good! May Mabel (class president) be the 
leader? It's much more fun when you are a member of the 
class." 

Teacher : "Yes : and as you make a list of what you are 
going to do, John had better write the questions on the board." 

Planning 

Mabel: "Whom shall we ask about the walk?" 

Answers : "I'll ask my father." "Does it tell in our book?" 
"The Board of Education buys our books and papers. Do they 
look after the outside of the school too?"' "Do they, Miss 
Pullen?" 

Teacher : "Look in the index for Board of Education and 
see what their duties are." 

The questions asked and answered in the discussion that 
followed were too numerous to list here. The pupils made the 
list of problems to be solved : 

I. Who is responsible for the condition of our school yard? 

(a) Are the members of the Board of Education 

elected or chosen? 

(b) What kind of men should be selected to serve on 

this important board? 

(c) Compensation. 

(d) Term of ofiice. 

(e) When and where do they meet? 

(f) What are their duties? 

24 



2. How should we proceed to call the attention of the Board 
of Education to our immediate need? 

(a) List reasons why we need a walk. 

(b) Selection of best location for a walk. 

(c) Measuring length,, breadth and course of the pro- 

posed walk. 

(d) Plan of school yard drawn to a scale showing the 

location of the proposed walk. 

(e) Estimation of cost. 

(i) Study of kinds of material. 

(2) Location of sources of material. 

(3) Costs of material. 

'(Consult contractors and cement w^orks.) 

(f) Write a petition to the Board of Education, in- 

cluding the reasons and the estimated cost. 
Send the plan of the school yard with the peti- 
tion. 

(g) Select two pupils to present the petition to all 

pupils above the third grade in assembly; one 
to show the plan and explain the advantages of 
the proposed walk ; the other to read the petition 
and ask for the signatures of all the children. 
Note. — These same pupils did so w^ell that they were unani- 
mously chosen to present the petition to the Board of Education. 
The pupils had the pleasure of seeing the walk constructed. 

Division of Work ■ 

The topics in No. 1 w-ere each assigned to a group of pupils 
under a chairman. These pupils secured the facts and reported 
in the Civics class for the fourth lesson. 

2. (a) General class discussion in the Civics class, third 
lesson. (In language that morning the pupils wrote a paper set- 
ting forth the reasons for the "walk.") 

(b) The teacher met the pupils in the yard at the close of 
the recess period on the third day. They selected the best loca- 
tion (elevation, drainage and beauty were considered) ; decided 
upon the width of the walk and measured the distance. 

Many arithmetic problems were based on these problems of 
measuring and estimating the cost. 

(c) The measuring was done by all the pupils in the draw- 
ing period (three or four lessons). The drawings were placed 
along the blackboard and the best w^as selected by ballot. 

(d) All the pupils wrote a petition, the correct form of 
which w-as written on the board. The petition included the rea- 
sons for the walk. The l^est one was selected, after class discus- 
sion, and wras written on a typewriter by a boy who had one at 
home. 

25 



Course of Study 

It will be seen by looking at these problems that the work for 
a great many subjects in the curriculum was provided for. 

Language — oral and written language. 

Business letters to construction firms. 

Petition. 

Hygiene — Health ; germ carriers. 

Prevention of colds; advantages of cleanliness. 

Mathematics — Selection of location as to drainage; eleva- 
tion, measuring, cost. (The curve was 34 of a circle with a 
radius equal to the distance from the street to the door, hence 
work in mensuration was indirectly motivated.) 

Comparison of various costs submitted by construction com- 
panies. 

Drawing — Competition, an instinct which is strong in ado- 
lescence, was appealed to. Two plans were submitted — one, a 
straight walk directly from the street to the side door, without 
beauty ; the other one with a curve. The last was adopted. The 
aesthetic sense was appealed to in deciding which walk would give 
the school grounds the best appearance. 

Civics — (a) How to attack a civics problem, (b) Interest 
in the Board of Education was aroused. 

Geography — Sources of building materials. 

Spelling and penmanship — New words were learned. All 
writing was for a definite purpose, hence it had to be neat and 
legible. 

Reading — When the pupils secured information from let- 
ters or other sources which the whole group needed it was read 
aloud. Thus there was a motive for good oral reading. It was 
necessary to give just the facts to the class in civics, hence good, 
silent reading was necessary. 

Value oe the Project 

This project motivated the work in all the subjects men- 
tioned because it was in response to a felt need. Plato said, 
"Curiosity is the mother of all knowledge." Interest is only 
another name for curiosity. 

The pupils collected specimens of crushed stone used by 
construction companies as a base, and samples of cement. They 
learned how to originate a problem and solve it. They collected 
the facts, judged their value, organized and used them in present- 
ing the petition to the Board of Education. 

They saw the need for accuracy, neatness and promptness. 
In order to carry on the project as fast as the pupils wished, 
reports of committees had to be on time and had to give the 

26 



information which the group needed. (Pupils are more severe 
judges than teachers.) 

As the pupils worked out their own school problem they 
became more observant of city improvements and of needed im- 
provements. Clippings from the daily papers were brought into 
class and pasted on the bulletin board. Thus the problem served 
to bring the pupils into closer touch with their environment. 

All of the pupils gained new experiences in their proper 
relation to a real life situation. (Education is the acquisition of 
new experience when new situations arise. ) 

References Used 

"Community and Citizen," Dunn. 
D. C. Heath Co., Boston. 
"Nation and State," Philips. 
"A First Book in Business Forms." 
Teller & Brown, published by Rand McNally. 
Tarr & McMurray Geography. 

Hoyt & Peet — Advanced Arithmetic (pages for topics se- 
cured from index). 

Better English Week 

Marie Collisi, Eighth Grade, Trenton, N. J. 

Purposing 

In English we had been correcting faulty grammar and pro- 
nunciation all the year, and at last came to dictionary work and a 
discussion of slang, colloquialism, vulgarism, and the need for 
better English among American people. The girls had talked 
about the common habit of slang among our fellow-countrymen, 
and had given instances from their own experience of how it had 
dwarfed their own vocabularies. We had talked about how 
necessary it was to interest the boys and girls in better English 
if we would really improve the speech of our own community. 
Just at this time one of the girls said, "Couldn't we show the rest 
of the school how important it is that they learn what we have 
been learning?" 

"How will you do it?" I asked. 

"Couldn't we have a Better English Week? They had one 
in High School. We will take charge of it here." 

Planning 

I had hoped for some such suggestion, so I immediately an- 
swered, "Yes, indeed. But how will you do it? How will you 

27 



carry on such a campaign? Remember there are almost eight 
hundred students here, and it will be a big undertaking." 

But the girls were ready with plans before I had finished. 
"Let's have a play and show them how to use good English." 
"Let's make posters showing them their speech errors." 
"Let's have a vocabulary committee to help build up their 
vocabularies." 

"Let's have slogans for better speech as they had for 'Clean- 
up Week'." 

"Let's write compositions on Better English." 
"Couldn't the best ones be read in the auditorium ?" 
"Let's have a Better English club." 

Organization 

Each one of these suggestions was carried out. The class 
already had its officers and regular class organization. The pres- 
ident appointed the chairmen of the various committees after 
she had consulted with the other officers. Each girl chosen was 
asked if she would like to serve as chairman of the particular 
committee for which she had been chosen. Great care and real 
wisdom was exercised by the class officers in their choice. For 
example, the girl who was chosen as chairman of the Poster 
Committee did excellent work in drawing; the chairman of the 
Play Committee did excellent work in English and had been 
instrumental in working out previously two of the class drama- 
tizations. I acted only as an advisor in this work of selecting 
chairmen. 

After the girls were selected as chairmen, each individual 
chairman selected three or five girls to serve on her committee. 
Again the girls in the class were allowed to state their preference 
as to the committee upon which they wished to serve. 

The next step in the preliminary organization was taken 
by the class officers. They interviewed the principal of the 
school, and after explaining their plan, asked his co-operation 
and permission to carry it out. Of course, he agreed. Then, 
they went to classroom teachers and asked if they might have 
reserved for them, during the week of their campaign, one por- 
tion of the blackboard in each room. After explaining that they 
wished to put there, each day, a "Better English" slogan and a 
list of vocabulary words, they secured their co-operation also. 

Activities 

Earlier in the year, we had studied in literature the develop- 
ment of the drama. To illustrate a simple form of the morality 
play, I had read to them Constance D'Arey Mackage's play, 

28 



"The House of the Heart." Before the play committee began 
their work, they discussed, with the class as a whole, the kind 
of play which should be given. After one or two ideas, some one 
suggested that a play, on the order of the "House of the Heart," 
would serve a double purpose — it would be an excellent way to 
present their "Better English" idea, and would show the school 
an example of their literature work. Accordingly, this suggestion 
was adopted and the committee began its work. My part in the 
composition was merely to correct the manuscript when it was 
handed to me for approxal. I made no changes in its structure 
or general plan. 

They took as their characters a Child. Good English. Poor 
Grammar, Slang, Obsolete Words, Localisms. Overworked 
Words, and Mispronunciation. The general idea of the play 
was this : The Child decided that Good English was not neces- 
sary. Then, one by one. Slang, Localisms, etc., came in, trying 
to persuade the Child to let them stay in her vocabulary. Good 
English said she could not remain with them and that the Child 
must take her choice. As Child listened to them, when they 
begged to stay, she grew more and more determined that she 
did not want them and at last she said she wanted Good English 
by her all her life, and bade the rest depart. 

Unfortunately, one of the girls accidently destroyed the 
manuscript. I remember only one of the two speeches, which 
were particularly apt. Slang asked who the "guy" was who 
had "blown in." In another place she said Child was "nutty" 
and "cracked." Localism's speech was made up of very common 
Trenton localisms which we had discussed previously in class. 

The chairman and her committee selected the girls who were 
to take part in the play, which they called. "The Child's \'ocabu- 
lary." They planned the stage setting and did the directing. 
This again was in line with their classroom work in oral reading, 
for we frequently had dramatizations. Since the play was to be 
presented before the school, I helped them one afternoon after 
school, although they needed little help, but mainly encourage- 
ment. 

They planned their own costumes. Each girl wore a white 
middy and skirt and a special committee made white cardboard 
strips to fasten from shoulder to waist. On these, they printed 
in black, the name of the character. 

I knew there was a pamphlet on "Better English Week" 
prepared by the National Council of English Teachers and pub- 
lished in Chicago. Eor our written composition that week, we 
wrote business letters ordering it. These letters were put on the 
board, and the best one was copied and sent. 

29 



In the meantime, the poster committee had begmi its work. 
The chairman conferred with the art teacher and assigned girls 
to make posters. Some were simply printed in striking colors. 
As "Watch your ing's," which was red on white. Others were 
worked out as a basket full of scraps of paper with such words 
as, "ain't," "I done it," "He seen it," "Can I set there?" on 
the scraps coming out of the top. Some other subjects for posters 
were. "One Flag, One Country, One Language," "Do you mur- 
der the King's English?" — -a revolver, which, when fired, scat- 
tered a word into it's separate letters. From the book which the 
girls had received, they got mottos which they worked cleverly 
into posters. "Good English is the Root of All Knowledge." 
"Good English Will Light Your Way Into the Best Company." 
"Good English Is the Road to Success." When these were 
finished they were given to the chairman of the committee. 

The slogan committee solicited the help of the entire class in 
its work. Each girl was asked to hand in a slogan, and although 
all were not usable, the committee used the majority. It also 
found some valuable aid in the book, for which they had sent. 
Some of their slogans were as follows : 

"Speak Good English and Good English Will Speak for 
You." 

"Do You Use 'Lie' Properly?" 

"Beware! Bad English is About." 

"He may get you if you don't watch out!" 

"Speak English." 

"Your English tells everyone who and what you are." 

"Watch Your Speech!" 

"Do you say, it is I' ?" 

"Get rid of 'and'." 

These are only a few examples. The girls had about fifty 
in all. Each girl on the committee was assigned a classroom 
and was given a list of slogans for that room. 

In class, the girls wrote compositions on subjects suggested 
by themselves, as : 

"From Where Did the English Language Come?" 

"The Social Value of Good English." 

"The Practical Value of Good English." 

"Good English in Business and in Every Day Life." 

"The Advantage of a Large Vocabulary." 

"Some Common Errors and How to Conquer Them." 

After these had been read and discussed in class the two 
best were chosen by the class to be read before the school. 

Then the girls decided that their class would form a Better 
English Club, which would have as its aim the promoting of 

30 



better English throughout the remainder of the year. They 
decided to invite pupils from other classes to join, if they had a 
monthly average of eighty-five in English, to plan interesting 
programs for their meetings which would be held every two 
weeks. The thirty girls in the class were to be charter members. 
In order to prepare for this, they made tags of white cardboard, 
tied them with dark green string (making their class colors, 
green and white), and on them printed "B. E. C' (Better 
English Club). They also decided to have their class president 
explain the club to the school during the Auditorium period. 

These preparations took up about three weeks. At last, the 
week which the class had decided upon for a Better English 
week came, and they were ready for their campaign. In our 
school we have Auditorium exercises on Tuesdays and Thurs- 
davs. The girls asked the principal to change them to Monday 
and Thursday for that week, and also to allow them to have 
charge of the exercises. This he did. 

On Monday morning the girls came to school very early, 
dressed in white and wearing their B. E. C. tags. The poster 
committee placed the posters in the most conspicuous places — 
the first, second, and third floor corridors, in the office, the lunch- 
room, and to my surprise, the chairman had asked the aid of the 
]^Ianual Training teacher, and had had two of the best ones 
placed on either side of the flag on the back wall of the Audi- 
torium, behind the reading desk. The Slogan and Vocabulary 
Committees were active also, and when I went in the various 
classrooms, I saw^ the spaces on which, during the previous week 
there had been written such notices as "Watch this Space," "Im- 
portant Information to be Here!" now had tlie slogans written 
in them in yellow crayon. 

In the Auditorium that day (jMonday) one of the girls 
explained the Better Speech Campaign ; the two girls who had 
been chosen read their compositions on Better English. Each 
day the girls changed the slogans and vocabulary words in each 
classroom. Wednesday they put on the boards corrected com- 
mon errors, and words often mispronounced and misspelled. For 
instance, on every board was going, separate, and similar words. 

In my class they made an English pledge which they printed 
on white cardboard for use during the Auditorium period on 
Thursday. On their class room door they had a placard. "Head- 
quarters of the Better English Campaign." Some of the other 
classes co-operated by volunteering slogans and words for the 
Vocabulary Committee. 

On Thursday, the class president took charge of the exer- 
cises. The girls had written to the head of the high scho(>l 

31 



English department, and to their parents, inviting them to attend 
the exercises. The class gave their play, "The Child's Vocabu- 
lary." To their great joy most of the invitations were accepted. 
After this the President explained their B. E. C. tags and club 
and displayed the class pledge. 

Comment 

On the whole the campaign was a success. I could not 
measure the value to the rest of the school, although the B. E. C. 
became a very popular and much sought after club; but I know 
that my class derived benefits that could scarcely be measured. 
The fact that it had been their problem, that they had worked it 
out and had seen its success made them more than ever interested 
in their English work. Before this they thought speech errors 
a necessary evil; now they went, at them as if they must and 
would be uprooted. 

Their committees gave them excellent practice in working 
together and in considering each other's desires. Most of the 
work of planning for the campaign was done in class periods, 
which necessitated socialized recitations entirely. Here would 
be one girl working at her poster on a drawing board, another 
planning. I made myself an advisor, going from group to 
group, listening to their plans, and suggesting but seldom. This 
was possible with the class I had, for they were particularly capa- 
ble, intelligent people. 

Course of Study 

This problem provided for covering the course of study in 
its main lines. There were added opportunities in the letter 
writing which the girls did, their business letters and notes of 
invitation ; for written composition, in the paper which they 
wrote for presentation in the Auditorium ; for oral composition, 
in their many talks, both in the general class planning and 
in their separate committees; for public speaking, in the play 
which they presented to the school; for literature review, in 
planning the play. Since printing and poster planning are part 
of the eighth grade course of study in art, there was further 
opportunity for correlation. 

The entire class was interested and enthusiastic, and to them 
their English work was made more vivid, real and practical by 
the problem which they had helped solve. 



32 



Artificial Waterways of the World 

Marie L. Weldon, Eighth Grade, Linden, N. J. 

Situation 

O'ur eighth grade geography class was completing a study 
of irrigation in the dry lands of our own and other countries. 
The children were beginning to ask what the next project would 
be. One girl, who had studied about the canals of China, sug- 
gested the making of a study of the world's great canals. One 
or two other subjects were mentioned and the children were 
asked to talk the matter over among themselves, preparatory to 
a class vote. 

Adoption of Project 

About two days later, when the irrigation work was com- 
pleted, the class voted unanimously for a project which was 
named "Canals of the World." 

Activities 

After the class vote the rest of the period was given to an 
informal discussion of the ground to be covered, problems to be 
solved and general plans for carrying out the project. 

The class decided that an outline was necessary. With 
suggestions and questions on my part the outline was begun. 
After a lively discussion the class decided that the study of the 
Erie and Panama Canals should be made more detailed than that 
of foreign canals. The chairman, who was elected by the class 
each week, appointed a committee to look up the history of canals 
and their various uses for the next lesson. 

Progress 

Next day. when the first topic was completed, another com- 
mittee was asked to report on the Erie Canal. The points to be 
considered were mainly those of construction, cost, past and 
present usefulness. 

From the first there seemed to be a very great interest in the 
Panama Canal. The outline became somewhat more detailed, 
but lost none of its interest thereby. Committees and individuals 
reported on material that was not available for the entire class, 
but the bulk of the work was done by the class as a whole through 
the medium of the socialized recitation. The class discussed such 
topics as the following: 

Earlv explorers in Panama. 
The sack of Panama by Morgan. 

33 



The failure of the French. 

Effect of the Spanish-American War on American 
pnbhc opinion concerning an interoceanic canal. 

The revolution in Panama and the purchase of a canal 
zone. 

Men who made the canal possible, as Roosevelt, 
Goethals, Gorgas. 

Difficulties of canal construction, owing to climate, 
disease, surface. 

Gatun Lake and Locks. 
Cost, tonnage, etc. 

Value of the canal to our own country and to the 
world. 

Early in the project the class decided to make individual 
booklets containing a written report of the Avork covered, maps, 
pictures, or other interesting material. The booklets were to be 
kept up to date as far as possible. One geography period a week 
was given to booklet work and we found it necessary to use the 
writing period for written reports. 

When the booklets were finished each member of the class 
made a bibliography of the reference material he had used. An 
index was also thought necessary. 

Practically the entire responsibility was thrown upon the 
class throughout the project. I gave few, if any. direct com- 
mands; but suggested ways of improvement, change or correc- 
tion. 

Course of Study Covered 

Besides the geography work, which I think is obvious, there 
were problems of history, such as the trouble with Colombia. 
Oral English was provided for. in class discussions and written 
English in the booklets. The writing of the reports in the book- 
let was used as lessons in writing; difficult words were studied 
in spelling; there were several drawing lessons, during which 
letters and a cover design were made. Of course, there was 
plenty of reading, chiefly silent reading. 

Results 

Besides gaining a knowledge of the world's great canals, the 
class seemed to gain in the power of co-operation. One very 
important outcome, I think, is a greater pride in American 
achievement, as shown by the interest in the Panama Canal. The 
most noticeable result was the change in attitude of one member 
of the class. This boy, who came from another school, is very 
slow. At the time of the project he seemed to gain a sense of 

34 



his responsibility to the class. This attitude was noticeable im- 
mediately after he had surprised the class with a very clear 
account of the working of a canal lock. 

References 

Scott — The Americans in Panama. 

Cause & Carr — The Story of Panama. 

Allen — South America. 

Brigham — Commercial Ceography From Trail to Railway. 

Fisher — Resources and Industries of the U. S. 

Redway — Commercial Geography. 

Rochelean — Geography of Commerce and Industry. 

Hepburn — Artificial Waterways of the World. 

McMurray — Teaching by Projects. 

National Geographic Magazine. 

Pan-American Union Bulletin. * 

Illustrated World. 

Literary Digest. 

Newspaper clippings. 

Pictures from old books, magazines, etc. 

Postcards of Panama Canal. 

English Project 

Mabel G. Adair ^ Eighth Grade, Morristown, N. J. 

Purposing 

Our first project for the eighth year English class was to 
write a Supplementary Reader for the third grade. 

One morning I said, "How many of you have a vounger 
brother or sister in a third or fourth grade?"' 

Many hands went up. 

Then I asked, "Does he or she ever bring home the reading 
book used in that grade?" 

Again there were many affirmatixe replies. 

"What sort of stories does your brother or sister like best?" 

"Fairy stories," "Animal stories," "Stories full of make- 
believe." were some of the answers given. 

Then I said, "I wonder if you could write any stories they 
would care to read?" 

Most of the class thought that quite possible. 

I unfolded the plan of writing a Supplementary Reader and 
asked the bo)S who were taking printing if they thought they 
could print our stories in book form. They were quite sure that 
could be done, and the class went on to plan the number of 

35 



stories needed, the arrangement, illustrations and binding of a 
small booklet. 

It was decided that each pupil should write six short stories 
or divide long ones into six reading lessons and place suitable 
spelling words at the top of each. 

Then these would be given to a committee and, if that com- 
mittee thought them interesting and suitable for the purpose, be 
handed back to the authors to be corrected and rewritten, if 
necessary. A date two weeks off was set for all stories to be in 
the hands of the committee, which was elected by the class. 

Activities 

Durins" these two weeks all home work was to be on the 
stories and some four or five English or study periods were 
given to the pupils for writing at school where they could ask 
for suggestions from the teacher. The remaining English 
periods were used for lessons in paragraph arrangement and 
punctuation, particularly the use of quotation marks. 

The committee worked hard to decide upon the stories 
worthy of being made into a book and the pupils proved very 
willing to rewrite and correct work as suggested to them by its 
members. Finally nearly every pupil had six reading lessons that 
a younger child might be expected to enjoy. Then each planned 
a design and made a cover of drawing paper. The art teacher 
helped here. 

Of course, the printing department could not print thirty- 
five or forty different little Third Readers, so we picked out one 
of the best and the eighth grade boys set it up and ran off fifty 
copies. 

Much interest was shown in this printed booklet when it 
came up to the class. Here was their own work in actual com- 
mercial form. 

Each pupil was very willing to take one, make a cover for 
it and go to old magazines for illustrations. The stories in 
our final booklet are alike, but the covers and illustrations show 
a wide range of taste. 

Then a third grade teacher offered to try these wonderful 
Supplementary Readers in her class room ; so we sent them to 
her. The verdict returned by our small critics was very satis- 
factory. They enjoyed both stories and pictures very much. 

Results 

This project motivated all composition work for a month. 
It provided a center around which all the lessons in sentence 
building, paragraphing and punctuation were grouped. The 
writing of the stories gave free play to the imagination of the 

36 



pupils and gave each a chance to see if he or she could write 
something of interest to a pupil of another grade. Planning the 
covers and illustrations gave a chance for the art department to 
co-operate and the actual printing of the final choice for the little 
Supplementary Reader gave the boys of that class a chance to 
display their skill in a real trade project. The penmanship was 
the best we had seen in some time, for the committee members 
often asked that the first stories handed in be written over, "Be- 
cause your little brother couldn't read that." 

This project can be used in many ways. If an eighth grade 
is studying the legends of King Arthur it will enjoy writing them 
for a sixth grade. If the history teacher co-operates, the grade 
can write a reader for fourth or fifth grade composed of stories 
of American History. 

There are many possibilities which will occur to the teacher 
interested in teaching English by the project method. 

The following is one of our stories : 

Christmas Eve 

It was Christmas Eve. Everyone was in bed when little 
Wanda got up, took her little woolly lamb and went downstairs 
to see if Santa had come yet. 

When she got to the landing she found the lamb was too 
much to carry, because she had to crawl downstairs ; so she let 
it go by itself, and it fell and broke its head. 

Wanda forgot about the lamb, because, when she got down- 
stairs, she discovered that Santa had been there. 

He had brought a fine tree and trimmed it with shiny balls 
and bells. There were many packages on the tree and many 
beneath it. 

She went to the tree and found a large doll and carriage, 
which she wheeled around for a while. 

She thought she would like to play with one of the bells on 
the tree ; but the one she wanted was too high up. 

She got a chair to stand on ; but she could not quite reach it. 
She pulled on the tree. Oh, what a noise ! The tree had fallen 
over. 

What was that? Was it Santa coming back to see what 
she had done ? No ; it was mother and father running down the 
stairs. They came into the room where Wanda was. Poor 
little girl : she was so frightened she could not cry or move. 
Her mother came and picked her up in her arms. She said, "It 
will be alright. Daddy will fix it, and we will go back to bed." 

So she took Wanda back and put her in bed, where she 
stayed until morning came. 

37 



When she went to the tree again it was as pretty as before, 
and she had a fine time playing with her toys. 

Civic League Projects 

Ada G. Ate, Bighth Grade, Junior High School No. 2, 
Trenton, N. J. 

The B28 Class (boys) in the Junior High School No. 2 
carried on a series of projects for one year under the guidance of 
the English teacher. 

Project I. Thu Organization of thk Civic League 

The B28 boys expressed a desire to carry on activities sim- 
ilar to the projects of the class that preceded it. As the drives 
for "Thrift Stamps," "Liberty Loans," "Red Cross Activities," 
and "War Work" were over, we could not decide on suitable 
activities the first week of school. Finally one-minute speeches 
in the English class on "Clean-up Week" gave the boys the im- 
petus. 

After a series of discussions the boys decided on the name 
"B28 Civic League." The organization and duties of the officers 
led the weakest pupil to assert himself and to grow stronger in 
ideas and expression before the class. Following the nomination 
of officers an election took place in which a ballot was used. 

The officers chosen were : president, vice-president, sec- 
retary-treasurer, an English committee and a civic committee. 
The cabinet of three members was chosen by the President. Next 
a constitution was framed. From time to time amendments were 
made to the Constitution, but the original plan proved as strong 
for the boys as the Constitution of the United States does for 
the nation. 

Just how was the Constitution planned? At this stage the 
class resolved itself into a number of sub-committees. The boys 
gathered in working groups and wrote sections of the Constitu- 
tion. They consulted other groups, until finally a meeting of the 
entire league was called to give constructive or destructive criti- 
cisms. 

True to the name of the organization, the boys carried on a 
campaign for a cleaner room, a cleaner school, yard and street, 
and a better Trenton. Backed by the principal, and with the 
co-operation of many classes, the campaign brought results that 
had permanent effects in the entire school. 

38 



Project II. Playi.et, Reforming a Bad Boy 

While the Civic Committee and its assistants were busy with 
the Constitution, the Enghsh Committee sought vahiable htera- 
ture, slogans, posters, etc., to give impetus to the activities. As 
the result of a "bad boy" in our midst — one who threw orange 
skins in the street — the English Committee decided that "B28" 
ought to give a play. The playlet was called "Reforming a Bad 
Boy." I was not asked to assist until all plans were made by the 
committee. The scenes were : 

Time — One day. 

I St — A Street Scene. (A group of boys decide what to do 

with the "bad boy;" 10 A. M.) 
2d — A Visit to the Street Commissioner. (11 A. M.) 
3d — In Commissioner Fell's Office; or, The Bad Boy's 

Dream. (After lunch.) 
4th — The Civic Parade. 

The civic parade was especially effective in its ap- 
peal for a better Trenton. There were forty-two 
boys in line on the stage. The banners bore slogans 
that made a lasting impression. Many boys carried 
brooms, brushes and shovels. A parody on "Half 
a League Onward," entitled "Civic League Onward." 
ended the performance. The play was given twice 
in the home school, and, at the request of our Super- 
intendent, it was given in other schools, with Com- 
missioner Fell a guest at the last performance. 

Results 

The result of this play was the creation of a better class 
spirit, a co-operative school interest, and a wide-awake interest 
in studies and in Americanization. The room was always the 
cleanest and most attractive in the school. At their request, the 
boys were granted permission to sandpaper the desks and varnish 
them and to varnish the woodwork in the room. I received a 
desk and a chair to add to the appearance of the room. Suitable 
pictures were always placed by the boys to commemorate birth- 
days, holidays and events. Any magazine bearing any relation 
to the school always found its way to the library table. A large 
American flag was purchased by the class. 

Project III. Better English Week 

The laboratory method was easily applied to the English 
work. The results brought the enthusiastic support of the stu- 
dents. Besides the necessary drill work to cover the course of 

39 



study, the pupils, eager for effective self-expression in speech, 
planned "One-Minute Talks," "Debates in English and History" 
as well as in "Current Events," "The Use of the Symposium in 
English," and a "Better English Week." 

As the result of a debate on "All Men Should Wear Over- 
alls," the boys pledged themselves to aid their parents in reducing 
the high cost of living. They wore and encouraged the wearing 
of overalls. They also pledged themselves to do without candy 
and other luxuries. The first day that the boys started to school 
in overalls they were halted by a reporter. Regardless of the big 
headlines in the papers, the overalls were worn until the last day 
of school. A moving picture firm asked permission to take their 
pictures, and the boys were real "movie stars" in the schoolroom 
when they recited, conducted their meetings, etc., for the screen. 

Spelling 

From a body of poor spellers they developed into a group of 
successful ones. In the contest throughout the city for time and 
accuracy on the correct spelling of the one hundred "Jones 
Demons" the boys won. The examiner dictated the words in 
6 minutes 35 seconds, and from the 4,200 words written (42 
boys — 100 words) there were but three errors. Thus they won 
the city championship. In the contest for the spelling of the 
"Ayres' One Thousand Words," ten boys were successful and 
they were awarded buttons. 

A "Better English" Drive 

After three months work in the English class where social- 
ized lessons- were general, the pupils came to realize how we 
daily mutilate our language with slang, illiterate expressions, and 
ungrammatical forms, and we wondered what we could do to 
help eradicate those errors which cheapen our language and 
make it such a difficult one for the foreigners to learn. About 
this time the class circulated the question, "What can you, as 
a member of B28 class do to be patriotic in this drive against 
our common errors in speech?" 

The class first made a list of errors which were common to 
the class. In a week the number of errors was reduced. The list 
of common errors was printed in the print shop and the boys gave 
the lists to the pupils in their classes and to all classes that 
asked for the list. The pupils maintained that they frequently 
made errors because there was no way provided for them to know 
that the expressions were incorrect. 

The work in the print shop included slogans, mottoes and 
a pledge. The co-operation between the English work and the 
print shop vitalized the whole situation. 

40 



OUR PLEDGE 

I love the United States of America. 
I love my country's flag. 
I love my country's language. 
I promise : 

1. To try to articulate clearly and to speak pleasantly. 

2. To do all in my power to use clear, correct English 
for the sake of those to whom I speak. 

Posters and slogans printed by pupils and used in the class- 
room : 

SHOW YOUR PATRIOTISM 

by 
IMPROVING YOUR SPEECH 

BETTER SPEECH 

for 

BETTER AMERICANS 

THREE ESSENTIALS 

SPEAK 

CORRECTLY 

DISTINCTLY 

PLEASANTLY 

BETTER ENGLISH; BETTER JOBS 

GOOD ENGLISH IS A HABIT 
GET THE HABIT 



SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF 
YOUR FLAG 

POOR SPEECH IS AN OX-CART. 

GOOD SPEECH IS AN AEROPLANE. 

WILL YOU PLOD IN THE MUD, 

OR WILL YOU FLY? 

SPEAK ENGLISH 

The work in the print shop stimulated the desire to improve, 
for skill in the use of English was found to be necessary there. 

41 



Finally the main week of the drive began. The exercises 
were as follows : 

Monday — Tag day ; checking up errors. 

Tuesday — A speech on "Good English." 

Wednesday — Class Meeting. Signing of pledge. 

Thursday — Spelling Contest. 

Friday — Composition Contest. 

By request the drive was continued. 

Second Week 

Tuesday — One-minute speeches. 

Friday — Debate, "Resolved, that English is our most im- 
portant subject." 

Third Week 

Friday — Playlet, planned, executed, and judged by the 
students : "The Trial of the Four Verb Brothers." 

Unconsciously the drive continued throughout the year. 

Results 

In commenting on the results of the drive a pupil wrote, 
" 'English Week' was not what I expected it to be, it was more." 
Another wrote, "I just thought that we would have a good time 
and get out of some home work, but after such good times it 
makes a boy feel 'cheap' to make one of the errors that he made 
before 'English Week.' " A third wrote, "I have learned that 
good English cannot be acquired quickly; that it takes a lifetime 
to build up one's command of the language." 

Project IV — Dramatizing David Coppereieed 

While these projects were unfolding in the English room, 
another, the climax of the year's work, was in embryo. 

The literature lessons for two months were in David Cop- 
perfield. Reading the story and the assignments in Oral Eng- 
lish covered a period of two months (2 lessons a week). Mem- 
bers of the class conducted the lessons for one week. When the 
leaders failed to get the vital parts I took up the thread of the 
stOTy. Perhaps my own love for the story granted me the power 
to present the setting for the story with sympathy and enthusiasm. 
The work of the class had prepared them for character study, 
and I noticed that each boy always gave a true picture of the 
character he described. The unusual interest in the story and 
the pride in aiming to be a good leader laid the foundation for 
this undertaking. 

42 



There was such a sigh of regret when the story was com- 
pleted that secretly I w^as glad that it was Friday and that by 
Monday new interest would arise. But. no ; on Monday I found 
a note on my desk. It read : 

Dear Miss Ale : 

If you are willing for us to have a play called "David Cop- 
perfield," w^e will give only his child life. Please sign here. 

, English Committee. 

(Name) 

, English Committee. 

(Xame) 

, English Committee. 

(Name) 

Teacher. 

Of course I signed; but in three w-eeks school was to close, 
and I hesitated about the time. The first step in playmaking is 
to find the story, and that we had. We had read the story and 
retold it, and we retold the "high lights" again. Then a whole 
lesson was given to an informal discussion and an exchange of 
views regarding the parts to be selected. There was so much 
to be said that the boys soon split up into little groups, determined 
by their interest in the adoption of certain sections of the story, 
the working out of the characters or the allotment of parts. The 
boys knew just what they could do best. 

The scenes chosen were : 

1. An Evening- at Home with Mother and Peggotty. 

2. The Home After the Step-Father Arrives. 

3. At the Inn (on the Way to Salem House). 

4. A Day at Salem House. 

5. Finding Aunt Betsy. 

6. In Betsy Trotw^ood's Home. 

It was decided to have a number of the class tell the con- 
necting links of the story before each scene. 

The active form, in which boys conduct their lessons, gives 
them an understanding of the relationship 1)etween learning and 
doing, and l)etween study and practice. These boys as they put 
their heads together, making a play, forgot self, forgot hard 
work, but thought as a unit towards such a production of the 
story of little David Copperfield as would teach their schoolmates 
to love him as they did. 

The play was prepared in this way : Each character in each 
scene was to study his own part and then plan what he was to 
say. The story itself provided mucli of the conversation. I 
expected difticulties to arise in teaching the boys how to imper- 

43 



senate the female characters. But, no ; one explanation was 
sufficient. Mrs. Copperfield, Peggotty, Miss Murdstone and 
Miss Trotwood were typical in dress and actions. The parents 
co-operated and I had very little to do in the matter of dress, 
wigs and make-up. "Mrs. Copperfield" was as pretty as David's 
mother was pictured in the story. He was a shy boy who had 
never taken a prominent part in school activities, nor did his 
mother know that it was her son who represented Mrs. Copper- 
field. Betsy Trotwood was impersonated by another boy who 
had not been understood by the teachers — inactive in every lesson 
but English. 

At first the play was produced in the class room, to which 
the principal and several teachers had been invited. A quotation 
from the principal will explain. "This class has certainly been 
doing things this year — from getting into trouble up to worthy 
causes. I have always thought that David Copperfield was too 
hard for students in the eighth grade; but I see that it isn't." 
We were invited to give the play the last week as a part of the 
closing exercises. It is needless for me to say that everything,, 
even to the "curtains," passed ofif like clock work. 

Values 

Remarks by the boys will give the evaluation of the project: 

"It was better than the movies." 

"It is the best year I've had in school." 

"We will make such a success of this play that future classes 
will have a hard time to excel." 

"We will not fail in this undertaking: we are professionals." 

"We will make our English teacher proud of her work this 
year." 

"I am sorry it is vacation time." 

With this last project directly in line with the social needs of 
our students, the class solved many English problems, such as 
the necessary correct speech forms, the appreciation and inter- 
pretation of subject-matter, and the a1)ility to choose the main 
thought in a classic. It gave the pupils opportunity for self- 
realization and for social adjustment. The purposeful activities 
awakened in the boys new and lasting interests. 

The "Go Family" 

A. Alecs, Bighth Grade, Bmerson Sehool, West Hohoken, N. J. 

Situation 

During the school year we had been correcting faulty gram- 
mar, incorrect pronunciation, common incorrect expressions, and 

44 



careless enunciation. Captains had been chosen fo'" each of the 
classes, also two pupils to act as first and second lieutenants, 
respectively. Class books were made by these captains, wherein 
all errors were listed. Once a week these errors were read by the 
captain, the poorly constructed sentences being correctly recon- 
structed and words carelessly enunciated resounded by the pupils 
who had made the mistakes. Under the heading "Observations," 
newspaper clippings were brought and pasted in books, and sug- 
gested improvements made in word use. The captain recorded 
any report given regarding poorly worded advertisements or 
signs in windows. These errors were carefully noted and cor- 
rected by the class. Pupils thus became very observant, and an 
awakened interest in English was manifested. The English 
classes had been studying the principal parts of verbs, and I sug- 
gested that we have a playlet, entitled the "Go Family," in order 
to emphasize the correct use of "gone" and "went." Immedi- 
ately the class became interested, and they were told that should 
their undertaking prove successful we might later try something 
larger and more elaborate. 

Activities 

One pupil was selected to write up the playlet, another to 
make a large dictionary, and still another to make the placards 
to be used in connection with the work. The large dictionary 
was made of pieces of wood for the frame work, which were 
covered with heav}'- brown wrapping paper. On the back "Dic- 
tionary" was printed in large type. This was placed in a vertical 
position on the platform, and was large enough to allow the small 
boy, who represented "Ain't," to try to force his way into the 
family's emporium. The family was represented by "Went," 
eldest brother; "Has," "Have," "Had," brothers, and "Gone," 
youngest of the family. 

At first we find Mrs. Grammar seated outside of her home, 
the dictionary. She is surrounded by the sons, "Has," "Have," 
"Had" and "Gone." "Gone" is about to undertake a journey, 
accompanied by his brothers, and his mother is telling him that 
harm will never overtake him if he will be sure to have his 
brothers with him. "Went," the eldest brother, then returns and 
says he always travels alone and enjoys solitude. Among the 
characters we find a policeman, who is supposed to represent "Mr. 
Intelligent Public." He enters, in pursuit of "Ain't," who has 
forced his way into the dictionary, much to the indignation of 
the "Grammar Family." Needless to say, "Ain't" is immedi- 
ately ejected. 



45 



RESUIvTS 

Much enthusiasm was displayed by the amateur performers. 
The school showed interest and, judging from the applause given, 
appreciated the class effort. Pupils were anxious to give another 
performance, and our reading of "Snow-Bound" was looked for- 
ward to with awakened and renewed interest. 



Health Playlet 

Graceila MacConnell, Eighth Grade, Franklin School, 
Trenton, N. J. 

Situation 

Health Week was a special period set aside by the City 
Commissioners. As we have departmental work in the Junior 
High School, I found it necessary to carry the project out with- 
out the co-operation of any other teacher. Most of the classes 
decided on a general discussion, but the 8A girls decided upon a 
playlet. 

The following topics were suggested for discussion by the 
members of this class : Dirt, carelessness, gloom, sickness, ig- 
norance, as a hindrance to health. As an aid, cleanliness, sun- 
shine, happiness, rest, exercise and knowledge. 

Since they wanted a playlet, they suggested writing their 
topics as characters, so everyone wrote on the topic she wished. 
A committee was appointed to choose the best w ork. Each pupil 
read her work. The best was chosen. Those who were to take 
the parts of the characters were chosen. Then costumes had to 
be provided. These were suggested by the participants. The 
outline of the playlet was written by one of the pupils. 

They conducted their own rehearsals and planned their ar- 
rangement of the room. They invited their principal and three 
other teachers, as well as another eighth grade class. It was 
enjoyed so much that they gave it again at the Community Health 
Meeting. 

Health Playlet 

A mother and her child sit by a table, on which are soiled 
dishes. Crumbs and papers are on the floor. The child has her 
head bandaged ; she is ill. They fall asleep. 

The spirits of Dirt, Carelessness, Gloom and Sickness enter 
at the bidding of Ignorance. Sickness stands by the child. Each 
recites. 

Good Health arrives and calls her helpers, Cleanliness, Sun- 
shine, Happiness, Rest, Exercise and Knowledge. 

46 



As they recite they walk toward their respective opponents, 

who disappear. 

Good Health calls in a welfare worker, who speaks about 

tuberculosis and makes an appeal for the sale of Red Cross 

Christmas seals. 

The mother and child wake up. The child locks about her 

and then tells her mother of her dream. She decides that she 

feels better, so they at once begin to clean the room. 

The following illustrate the speeches prepared by the chil- 
dren : 

Ignorance — I come to speak of Ignorance : Some people are 
ignorant because they do not have a chance to get an educa- 
tion. Others are ignorant, not because they did not have an 
education, but because they are careless and are dependable 
on others. Such people are called "Vain Pretenders of 
Knowledge." Ignorance is an enemy to the world. Some 
people are careless, allowing dirt to be in their homes. 
Windows are kept closed, so there is no fresh air or sun- 
shine. Gloom and sickness enter the liomes. 

Sickness — I am Sickness. I reign over many homes. Some 
people do not heed me; others do. I keep guard over this 
child ; she is under my control. I am a friend of Gloom, 
'but not of Good Health. Many times I am associated with 
Carelessness. I am in many forms. I am conquered some- 
times ; though I do not like this. 

Dirt — I am Dirt. I try to make cities believe in me. In some 
homes I am driven away. Some people say I must be 
avoided, for I get the best of those who do not avoid me. 
I carry germs around with me; also sickness. I visited a 
house the other day where a little girl was sick. I began 
to roam around the room and in a few days I had my work 
accomplished. I hope I shall never be conquered. The 
Board of Health is always after me, but I hide in some 
house where they shelter me. 

Gloom — I am Gloom, and I take great pleasure in making people 
sick and sad. I am very hapnv when people give me the 
least chance to come into their lives and homes, to make 
them unhappy. My greatest and worst enemy is Sunshine. 
She tries to push me out whenever she can. The people pro- 
voke me when thev trv to push me out and they can't. 
Sometimes they do push me out when Sunshine helps them. 

Carelessness — I am an invisible little creature ; my name is Care- 
lessness. Although I am invisible I am known all over the 
world. I cause sorrow, deaths, fires and bad health. In 
some cities and towns people have formed organizations to 

47 



ward off these sufferings that I cause the people. But in 
some city or town there is always a person who forgets to 
forbid me to enter his home. It may be for only a day or 
an hour. Nevertheless I can do much damage in that time. 
Good Health — I am Good Health. In order to obtain the great- 
est blessing in life, good health, we must establish three 
important factors. They are Sunshine, Fresh Air and Sub- 
stantial Food. Good Health is being sound or whole physi- 
cally, mentally and morally. If you have good health your 
business career will be successful. Have you the joy of good 
health? Or is disease lurking at your door? If it is, you 
should take long walks in fields or meadows, where the air 
is pure. If you are not strong you should not work in a 
factory, for your health will soon break. 

Elections 

M. Louise Henry, Bernards High ScJiool, Bernardsville, N.- J. 

Situation 

Since the elections this year had a national interest, the chil- 
dren in the community civics class asked many questions as to how 
it was done. In the text, "Dunn's Community Civics," such 
topics as "Our Community," "Our National Community," "The 
World Community," made a transition to the issues of the cam- 
paign logical and simple. Therefore, by means of an "election," 
we took up both the process of election and a very simple study 
of political parties and campaign issues. 

From one of the pupils, whose father was on one of the local 
•election l^oards, we were able to secure an old canvasser's book, 
a poll book and a copy of the election laws. The whole process 
of election, from writing of petitions to announcing of results, 
was carefully and interestedly followed. 

In order to get the machinery started, I appointed a pupil to 
act as Secretary of State and County Clerk. I also had the pupils 
declare their' party preferences, and then appointed a County 
Election Board. 

Activities 

The pupils then went about the business of writing petitions 
and getting signers. Every pupil in the civics classes, which con- 
tained one-half of the freshmen, wrote a petition to be candidate 
for some office. The form given by the election law was fol- 
lowed, and each petition was signed by five legal voters. By 
legal voters, we agreed to mean every freshman in school. We 



called this class the First Election District of Bernards High 
School. The petitions were handed by the petitioners to Clifford 
Ludlow, the Secretary of State and County Clerk, who then met 
with the County Election Board and made out the ballot for the 
primaries. Meanwhile the County Board met and chose the Dis- 
trict Election Board. This board then selected a day for regis- 
tration, chose the canvassers, and succeeded in registering practi- 
cally all the voters. The board next copied and posted the list of 
voters and arranged for the primaries. The lx)ys on the Ijoard 
secured boxes for l^allots, arranged the table and voting booth. 

On the day of primary elections. October 14th, the members 
of the board in charge of the polls were very careful to see that 
the voters passed in and out as persons do at State elections, and 
that order was preserved. The commercial department had al- 
ready mimeographed the ballots, as planned by the County Board, 
and the members of the board folded and numbered them and 
kept the poll book, as required by law. After the polls closed the 
board counted the ballots, making out the tally sheet properly. 
The results were then announced in class. These elections re- 
sulted in two full tickets, which were posted in a conspicuous 
place. Ballots resembling the usual official ballots were prepared. 

One week before the general elections, which took place on 
October 28, 1920, the active campaign began. The class periods 
were devoted to a discussion of the issues of the national cam- 
paign, particularly of the League of Nations, the pupils bringing 
in material and becoming violently partisan in the discussion. 
About this time posters for various favorites appeared in the 
freshman session rooms which made up District No. i. From 
the national issues we came to local issues. Each candidate found 
out, sometimes from an actual office-holder, the duties of his 
office, and made a speecli •stating those duties and his good inten- 
tions about them. The pupils who had been defeated in the pri- 
maries made speeches for their party or for favorite candidates. 
Every pupil made at least one speech, and most made several. 
The day before and the day of election several freshmen not in 
the Community Civics Class came to hear the speeches, and often 
were even moved to speak. 

At the request of the pupils, a new election l)oard took 
charge of the general elections. Whenever we departed from the 
legal procedure, as in this case, the proper method was carefully 
explained, with the reasoiis for our change. This board held 
another registration day, arranged the polls as before, sui>erin- 
tended the election and counted the votes. Some excitement 
was created among members of the election board, the freshmen 
and tlie students in genera: by the fact that several of the teach- 

49 



ers, who, of course, were not registered, attempted to vote. The 
attached letters are self-explanatory, and served to show the 
pupils situations which they must be prepared to meet. They 
were rather pleased to learn that a somewhat similar incident had 
actually occurred in one voting district of the township, and the 
procedure followed was the same as was advised for Mr. Aungst. 
The Board took great pleasure, when counting the ballots, 
in throwing out the "marked" ones, of which there were a rather 
large number, owing, probably, to the fact that half of the voters, 
not having been in class, had had no instruction in voting. 

Results 

This plan of instruction proved worth while. All Fresh- 
men learned something of the method of voting. By means of 
it the pupils were stirred to study the campaign issues at first 
hand, to learn some definite facts about the League of Nations, 
to find out what political parties are, what they stand for and 
why we have them. They were obliged to look up the duties 
of the various offices for which they were running, and the whole 
class was held responsible for the information brought in. The 
township officers especially were made to seem more real and the 
class came to realize that there was a definite relation between 
every individual and the township clerk. For instance, they found 
that dog and hunting licenses are secured from him. They came 
to see that a closer relationship exists between the subject of 
Community Civics and their duties as citizens, and when we re- 
turned to the text-book they took it up with more enthusiasm and 
purpose. Considering the small amount of work involved, the 
plan was more than worth while. 



50 



To Be Torn Off by the Judge of Election 

Fold to this line 



No. 



DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TICKET 

High School of Bernards, Somerset County, Election District No. i 

October 14, 1920 

Mark a cross X in the space at the left of the name of the person for 
whom j'ou wish to vote. 



For Member of House of Represen- 
tatives Vote for one 
Ernest Guest 

For Member of State Senate 

Vote for one 
Mary Guest 
Ethel Valentine 

For Member of General Assembly 

Vote for one 

WiLMA DuFFORD 



For Coroner 



Vote for one 



For Member of Board of Chosen 
Freeholders (3 yr. term) 

Vote for one 
Sartell Moore 

For Member of Board of Chosen 
Freeholders (2 yr. term) 

Vote for one 



For Member of the Board of Chosen 
Freeholders (i yr. term) 

Vote for one 



For Member of the Township 
Committee Vote for one 



For Collector of Taxes 



Vote for one 



For Road Supervisor 



Vote for one 



For Township Clerk 

Vote for one 
William Acken 

For Member of County Executive 
Committee Vote for one 



For Constalile 



Vote for two 



SAMPLE AFFIDAVITS AND LETTERS 

Mr. Louis M. Burton, 

Chairman of Board of Elections. 
Dear Sir: 

This is to certify that I am a citizen of District No. i, 
School Election, Bernards Township; that I have resided in this 
district for a period of not less than thirty days; that I do not 
■claim my registration elsewhere and that I am duly qualified 
to vote in this district under the laws of New Jersey. 

Signed. p^^L H. Axtell. 
In witness whereof I have affixed hereunto my signature 
and the seal of the district. 

Sworn and subscribed to before me this 28th day of Octo- 
ber, 1920. \. C. Fkrrv. 

My term expires June 27, ig>i. 

51 



November 9th, 1920. 
Mr. Paul H. Axtell, 

Bernardsville, 
New Jersey. 
Dear Sir : 

As you have gone before the Notary PubHc and he has 
signed his name saying that you have the right, we therefore 
will allow you to vote in District No. i, School Elections of 
Bernards Township, before 3 130 P. M., October 28, 1920. 

Yours truly, 

Lois M. Burton, 
For Board of Elections. 

October 28th, 1920. 
Honorable Members of the Election Board, District No. i^ 

School Elections. Bernards Township. 
Gentlemen : 

I am at present registered to vote in another district of your 
county, but since Registration Day I have moved into your 
district. 

To-day is the 30th day of my residence within your district 
and I wish to know from your board what procedure I must 
follow in order to be allowed to vote to-day, before the polls 
are closed. 

Very hastily yours. 

D. Fred Aungst, 
DFA MS Supervising Principal. 

10-28-20 

Writing a Play 

Paul H. A.vfell, High School, Bernardsville, Neiv Jersey. 

When the students of the Senior Class began to talk of Class 
Day, and the idea of giving a play was brought up, the suggestion 
was made that we write our own play. I made no comments 
other than to say that if they undertook it they must realize that 
it was a big job, and organize the work accordingly. >\ ithout 
much difficulty, and without any suggestions on my part, the fol- 
lowing plan was adopted : 

A period was set aside for the discussion of methods to be 
used in writing a play, at the end of which five leaders wer? 
nominated and elected by the class. These leaders chose tleir 
committees, consisting of five each. The leaders in turn com- 
l)osed a committee of five. With this committee arrangement,. 



the actual work of writing a play w^ent forward. On the first 
composition day each member of the class wrote a plot for the 
play. During the class period the committees met undei their 
separate leaders and decided which was the best plot within each 
group. The conmiittee of leaders then met and selected from 
among the Ijest five plots the one they thought would be most 
suitable to use for a class play. The name of this play was "Lost 
and Found," and was copied in detail upon the board, so that 
each member of the class might become familiar with the details, 
and make .a copy for himself. The following is the synopsis of 
the play as finally developed : 

Act I 
Scene I — 

A. A group of girls are discussing the arrival of a new girl 

at school and the prospects of the future. 

B. The girls decide to initiate Mary Rose into the Psi Delta 

Nu, although she is a sworn friend of Miss Frost, 
their enemy. 
Scene II — Same social room, a few weeks later. 

A. B}^ ones and twos the boys and girls join the group 

which gathered the afternoon after the Junior-Senior 
basket ball game. 

B. It is learned that Jack Smith had escorted Mary Rose to 

the game. Much curiosity is aroused. 

C. The group disperses after talking over Virginia's party, 

which is to take place the next night. 

Act II 

Scene I — Drawing room in the Dare home. 

A. The party is in full sway. 

B. Mrs. Brent comes to make apologies for Mary Rose's 

absence. 

C. Jack Smith is chief funmaker. 

D. Bob Gray meets Anne for the first time and becomes 

especially fond of her. 

Act III 

Scene I — In .school "gym." 

A. News is spread of the sudden disappearance from col- 

lege of Bob Gray. 

B. The try-out for "As You Like It" begins, under Prof. 

Case's supervision. 

C. Characters chosen are : 

1. Rosalind Anne Pierson 

2. Celia Mary R. Briar 

.S3 



3- Touchstone Jack Smith 

4. Orlando Jim Barber 

5. Oliver Fred Davis 

6. Jaccjues Nora Burke 

7. The Duke Bill Allison 

D. Miss Frost is furious because Mary Rose is not chosen 

for Rosalind, and plans to help her outdo Anne by 
understudying- her. 

E. Rehearsals progress remarkably well. 

F. After the last rehearsal, Mary Rose steals Anne's cos- 

tumes. 
Scene II — 

A. Anne, through Mary Rose's strategy, arrives late at 

school and discovers the theft. She immediately dis- 
closes the fact to Prof. Case. 

B. Jack hears of it and immediately suspects Mary Rose. 

He proves her guilt. As he knew the Brent home 
well, he goes alone to recover the costumes left in 
Mary Rose's room at her home. 

C. Jack reaches the school just in time. 

D. Anne is an overwhelming success. 

E. After the play Bob Gray appears and is first seen con- 

gratulating Anne. 

F. A happy close follows. 

Before the class began the writing of the play I loaned the 
members of the class a good many copies of modern plays in 
order that they might have something to guide them in writing 
both the plot and the conversation of the play. The actual work 
of writing the play then followed. The first scene of the first 
act was written by every member of the class — the best first scene 
was selected from each group. Then the committee of leaders 
met and wove the best five first, scenes into the final first scene. 
This was then handed to the typewriting students of the class, 
to be typed and returned to the groups for correction. The final 
act was then handed to the instructor. This was the method 
used in writing the scenes of each act. 

Each member of the class was asked to write a description 
of the methods employed in writing the senior plan. One of 
these follows : 

Ruth Palmer English IV 

How We Wrote Our Ceass Peay 

The project of writing a play was undertaken by the class 
of 1 92 1 in a systematic and well-organized way. After a class 

54 



recitation devoted to the consideration of the important points 
in play writing, several short plays were distributed among the 
members of the class. The object of this distribution of plays 
was to enable the pupils of the class to get ideas for plots, and 
the development of plots. Then, as a theme assignment for the 
next Monday, we wrote individual plots for plays. 

The first step in the selection of the best plot, and the one to 
be used as the basis of our class play, was the selection by the 
class of the best five plots. Then, after further consideration 
of these five, the class voted the plot "Lost and Found," as the 
best one to use. 

The next thing to do in order to go about the writing of the 
play systematically was to decide on some way whereby we could 
write up the conversation of the play. The class voted on five 
members of the class to be chairmen of committees; the chairmen 
chose the first member of the committee, that member another, 
and so on, until all the pupils in the class had been chosen. Under 
such a system of organization, we started to write the conversa- 
tion. 

The method we adopted for getting one report from the 
whole class was very simple, although the task of writing this 
conversation was not an easy one. Each individual in the class 
wrote the conversation for the first scene of the first act; then, 
in each committee, the individual reports were combined into a 
committee report, the committee reports were likewise combined 
into one class report of the first scene of the first act. The com- 
mittee reports were written by some member of each committee 
appointed by the chairman : the class report was written up by a 
member of the class appointed by the five committee chairmen 
or by the chairman of one of the groups. 

As each one of the class reports was handed in, a typewritten 
copy was made. This was corrected, and suggestions were made 
for better construction and expression. It \vas intended that 
each person in the class should have a copy of each act, as it 
was completed. 

At one of the meetings of the class, a committee was ap- 
pointed to design the book, should we put it into book form. It 
has not yet been decided whether we shall put it in book form 
or not. The entire play is now being typewritten and copies will 
be put into the hands of each pupil as soon as they are completed. 

After the plav was completed it was decided that it lacked 
many elements of a good play and some criticisms were written. 
One of these follows: 



LIBRftRV OF CONGRESS 

ll 




Ronald Gulick 021 349 545 8 

Suggestions for Plot 

The play in its present form seems to lack a firm outline of a 
plot — there is no definite progress of events; all of which is easy 
enough to say but quite another thing to remedy. In the first 
place, I believe our original plot is in itself rather weak, i. c, the 
stealing of the dress, etc. True enough, it is said, great writers 
can produce worthy plays upon the most trivial of circumstances, 
but it seems to be advisable in the present situation to develop 
the plot, by making it a bit more complex, perhaps, or by intro- 
ducing the element of mystery, an essential requisite for appeal- 
ing to an audience. As it is, there is no "foreshadowing of 
events" whatsoever — we have failed to put into practice the 
"drairiatic technique" we imagine we possess. 

So much for what we haven't done. Now for what we 
can do. In the first place, let us introduce a new idea into the 
plot — it doesn't matter what it is — there are hundreds of pos- 
sible ideas which might well be interwoven with our present plot. 
The thing we are driving at is simply this : We first need a 
definite goal for developing our plot, which may afford an oppor- 
tunity for the introduction of mystery. The other affair is a 
small matter. It is comparatively simple to introduce occasional 
"foreshadowings" ; sentences here and there which will increase 
the interest of the audience. 

Again, I believe the conclusion will bear improvement. For 
often is an otherwise good play ruined in its effect on the audi- 
ence by the ending. There are plenty of opportunities for an 
enjoyable ending without the usual short-story-medodramatic 
ending. The idea of the conclusion is perhaps desira1)le. yet 
could it not be introduced a trifle more skillfully, more adroitly? 

Instructor's Criticism 

I believe that the writing and criticising that the pupils did 
was of very great value. I carefully refrained from giving sug- 
gestions or criticising the results because I wanted to see just 
what would be done. The result is not bad. A play of about 
ten thousand words has been written which is without any ques- 
tion the real work of the pupils. It lacks the imaginative element 
and there is no plot development: but some of the conversation 
and dialogue is especially good. I do not believe that in its 
present form it is good enough to present as a class night play; 
but with a little working over it could be made into a play that 
would be a credit to a high school class. 

Perhaps there are many who think that such a project is not 
a very good one. Perhaps it is not ; but I am convinced that 
students who write a play of ten to fifteen thousand words and 
carefully criticise it themselves derive some value from the under- 
taking. 

56 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



021 349 545 8 



HoUinger Corp. 
pH8.5 



